lmb.shardsofhonor-第50章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　The　doctor　finished　dragging　Vorkosigan　through　the　guts　of　his　dream　machine；　Vorkosigan　politely　managing　to　look　only　a　little　unsettled。
　〃Want　to　hold　her　too；　Aral？〃　Cordelia　offered。
　〃Quite　all　right；〃　he　excused　himself　hastily。
　〃Get　some　practice。　Maybe　you'll　need　it　someday。〃　They　exchanged　a　look　of　their　private　hope；　and　he　loosened　up　and　permitted　himself　to　be　talked　into　it。
　〃Hm。　I've　held　cats　with　more　heft。　This　isn't　really　my　line。〃　He　looked　relieved　when　the　medical　men　repossessed　her　to　plete　their　technical　log。
　〃Um；　let's　see；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃This　is　the　one　we　don't　take　to　the　Imperial　Orphanage；　right？　Where　do　we　take　her；　after　the　observation　period？〃
　〃I've　been　asked　to　take　care　of　that　personally；〃　said　Vorkosigan　smoothly。　〃For　the　sake　of　her　family's　privacy。　I…Lady　Vorkosigan　and　I；　will　be　delivering　her　to　her　legal　guardian。〃
　The　doctor　looked　extremely　thoughtful。　〃Oh。　I　see；　sir。〃　He　didn't　look　at　Cordelia。　〃You're　the　man　in　charge　of　the　project。　You　can　do　what　you　like　with　them。　No　one　will　ask　any　questions；　I…I　assure　you；　sir；〃　he　said　earnestly。
　〃Fine；　fine。　How　long　is　the　observation　period？〃
　〃Four　hours；　sir。〃
　〃Good；　we　can　go　to　lunch。　Cordelia；　Sergeant？〃
　〃Uh；　may　I　stay　here；　sir？　I'm…not　hungry。〃
　Vorkosigan　smiled。　〃Certainly；　Sergeant。　Captain　Negri's　men　can　use　the　exercise。〃
　On　the　way　to　the　groundcar；　Vorkosigan　asked　her；　〃What　are　you　laughing　about？〃
　〃I'm　not　laughing。
　〃Your　eyes　are　laughing。　Twinkling　madly；　in　fact。〃
　〃It　was　the　doctor。　I'm　afraid　we　bined　to　mislead　him；　quite　unintentionally。　Didn't　you　catch　it？〃
　〃Apparently　not。〃
　〃He　thinks　that　kid　we　uncorked　today　is　mine。　Or　maybe　yours。　Or　perhaps　both。　I　could　practically　see　the　wheels　turning。　He　thinks　he's　finally　figured　out　why　you　didn't　open　the　stopcocks。〃
　〃Good　God。〃　He　almost　turned　around。
　〃No；　no；　let　it　go；〃　said　Cordelia。　〃You'll　only　make　it　worse　if　you　try　to　deny　it。　I　know。　I've　been　blamed　for　Bothari's　sins　before。　Just　let　him　go　on　wondering。〃　She　fell　silent。　Vorkosigan　studied　her　profile。
　〃Now　what　are　you　thinking？　You've　lost　your　twinkle。〃
　〃Just　wondering　what　happened　to　her　mother。　I'm　certain　I　met　her。　Long　black　hair；　named　Elena；　on　the　flagship…there　could　only　have　been　one。　Incredibly　beautiful。　I　can　see　how　she　caught　Vorrutyer's　eye。　But　so　young；　to　deal　with　that　sort　of　horror。。。〃
　〃Women　shouldn't　be　in　bat；〃　said　Vorkosigan；　grimly　glum。
　〃Neither　should　men；　in　my　opinion。　Why　did　your　people　try　to　cover　up　her　memories？　Did　you　order　it？〃
　〃No；　it　was　the　surgeon's　idea。　He　felt　sorry　for　her。〃　His　face　was　tense　and　his　eyes；　distant。
　〃It　was　the　damndest　thing。　I　didn't　understand　it　at　the　time。　I　do　now；　I　think。　When　Vorrutyer　was　done　with　her…and　he　outdid　himself　on　her；　even　by　his　standards…she　was　catatonic。　I…it　was　too　late　for　her；　but　that's　when　I　decided　to　kill　him；　if　it　happened　again；　and　to　hell　with　the　Emperor's　script。　First　Vorrutyer；　then　the　Prince；　then　myself。　Should　have　left　Vorhalas　in　the　clear。。。
　〃Anyway；　Bothari…begged　the　body　from　him；　so　to　speak。　Took　her　off　to　his　own　cabin。　Vorrutyer　assumed；　to　continue　torturing　her；　presumably　in　imitation　of　his　sweet　self。　He　was　flattered；　and　left　them　alone。　Bothari　fuzzed　his　monitors；　somehow。　Nobody　had　the　foggiest　idea　what　he　was　doing　in　there；　every　minute　of　his　off　duty　time。　But　he　came　to　me　with　this　list　of　medical　supplies　he　wanted　me　to　sneak　to　him。　Anesthetic　salves；　some　things　for　treatment　of　shock；　really　a　well…thought…out　list。　He　was　good　at　first　aid；　from　his　bat　experience。　It　occurred　to　me　then　that　he　wasn't　torturing　her；　he　just　wanted　Vorrutyer　to　think　so。　He　was　insane；　not　stupid。　He　was　in　love；　in　some　weird　way；　and　had　the　mother…wit　not　to　let　Vorrutyer　guess。〃
　〃That　doesn't　sound　altogether　insane；　under　the　circumstances；〃　she　mented；　remembering　the　plans　Vorrutyer　had　had　for　Vorkosigan。
　〃No；　but　the　way　he　went　about　it…I　caught　a　glimpse　or　two。〃　Vorkosigan　blew　out　his　breath。　〃He　took　care　of　her　in　his　cabin…fed　her；　dressed　her；　washed　her…all　the　while　keeping　up　this　whispered　dialogue。　He　supplied　both　halves。　He　had　apparently　worked　out　this　elaborate　fantasy　in　which　she　was　in　love　with　him；　married　in　fact…a　normal　sane　happy　couple。　Why　shouldn't　a　madman　dream　of　being　sane？　It　must　have　terrified　the　hell　out　of　her　during　her　periods　of　consciousness。〃
　〃Lord。　I　feel　almost　as　sorry　for　him　as　I　do　for　her。〃
　〃Not　quite。　He　slept　with　her；　too；　and　I　have　every　reason　to　believe　he　didn't　limit　that　marriage　fantasy　thing　to　just　words。　I　can　see　why；　I　suppose。　Can　you　imagine　Bothari　getting　within　a　hundred　kilometers　of　such　a　girl　under　any　normal　circumstances？〃
　〃Mm；　hardly。　The　Escobarans　fielded　their　best　against　you。〃
　〃But　that；　I　believe；　is　what　he　chose　to　try　and　remember　from　Escobar。　It　must　have　taken　incredible　strength　of　will。　He　was　in　therapy　for　months。〃
　〃Whew；〃　breathed　Cordelia；　haunted　by　the　visions　his　words　conjured。　She　was　glad　she　would　have　a　few　hours　to　settle　before　seeing　Bothari　again。　〃Let's　go　get　that　drink　now；　all　right？〃
　
　CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
　Summer　was　waning　when　Vorkosigan　proposed　a　trip　to　Bonsanklar。　They　were　about　half　packed　on　the　morning　selected　when　Cordelia　looked　out　of　their　front　bedroom　window；　and　said　in　a　constricted　voice；　〃Aral？　A　flyer　just　landed　out　front　and　there　are　six　armed　men　getting　out　of　it。　They're　spreading　out　all　over　your　property。〃
　Vorkosigan；　instantly　alert；　came　to　her　side　to　look；　then　relaxed。　〃It's　all　right。　Those　are　Count　Vortala's　men。　He　must　be　ing　to　visit　my　father。　I'm　surprised　he　found　time　to　break　away　from　the　capital　just　now。　I　heard　the　Emperor's　been　keeping　him　jumping。〃
　A　few　minutes　later　a　second　flyer　landed　beside　the　first；　and　Cordelia　had　her　first　view　of　Barrayar's　new　Prime　Minister。　Prince　Serg's　description　of　him　as　a　wrinkled　clown　was　an　exaggeration；　but　a　just　one；　he　was　a　lean　man；　shrunken　with　age　but　still　moving　briskly。　He　carried　a　stick；　but　from　the　way　he　swung　it　around　Cordelia　guessed　it　was　an　affectation。　Clipped　white　hair　fringed　a　bald　and　liver…spotted　head　that　shone　in　the　sunshine　as　he　and　a　pair　of　aides；　or　bodyguards；　Cordelia　was　not　sure　which；　passed　under　her　line　of　sight　to　the　front　door。
　The　two　Counts　were　standing　chatting　in　the　front　hall　as　Cordelia　and　Vorkosigan　came　down　the　stairs；　the　General　saying；　〃Ah；　here　he　es　now。〃
　Vortala　looked　them　over　with　a　bright　and　penetrating　twinkle。　〃Aral；　my　boy。　Good　to　see　you　looking　so　well。　And　is　this　your　Betan　Penthesileia？　Congratulations　on　a　remarkable　capture。　Milady。〃　He　bent　over　her　hand　and　kissed　it　with　a　sort　of　manic　savoir　faire。
　Cordelia　blinked　at　this　description　of　herself；　but　managed　a　〃How　do　you　do；　sir？〃　in　return。　Vortala　met　her　eyes　calculatingly。
　〃Nice　that　you　could　get　away　for　a　visit；　sir；〃　said　Vorkosigan。　〃My　wife　and　I；〃　the　phrase　was　emphasized　in　his　mouth；　like　a　sip　of　wine　with　a　superior　bouquet；　〃very　nearly　missed　you。　I'm　promised　to　take　her　to　the　ocean　today。〃
　〃Just　so。。。　This　isn't　a　social　call；　as　it　happens。　I'm　playing　messenger　boy　for　my　master。　And　my　time　is　unfortunately　tight。〃
　Vorkosigan　gave　a　nod。　〃I'll　leave　you　gentlemen　to　it；　then。〃
　〃Ha。　Don't　try　to　weasel　off　on　me；　boy。　The　message　is　for　you。〃
　Vorkosigan　looked　wary。　〃I　didn't　think　the　Emperor　and　I　had　anything　further　to　say　to　each　other。　I　thought　I　made　that　clear　when　I　resigned。〃
　〃Yes；　well；　he　was　perfectly　content　to　have　you　out　of　the　capital　while　that　dirty　work　on　the　Ministry　of　Political　Education　was　in　progress。　But　I　am　charged　to　inform　you；〃　he　gave　a　little　bow；　〃that　you　are　requested　and　required　to　attend　him。　This　afternoon。　Your　wife；　too；〃　he　added　as　an　afterthought。
　〃Why？〃　asked　Vorkosigan　bluntly。　〃Frankly；　Ezar　Vorbarra　was　not　in　my　plans　for　the　day…or　any　other　day。〃
　Vortala　grew　serious。　〃He's　run　out　of　time　to　wait　for　you　to　get　bored　in　the　country。　He's　dying；　Aral。〃
　Vorkosigan　blew　out